| 30th April 2006 Got a lift to the Thai border control and had to pay 5 Baht each (8p) to leave (I think because it's a Sunday). We then got a boat across the Mekong to Laos. Didn't take too long to get our visas and stamped into the country, but packed with westerners all dong the same thing! Walked up the road and got put in 'taxis' (tuk tuks) to where the slow boat was moored - so many of us all doing the tourist route, felt like cattle being herded along, all had stickers too! Had to wait ages for the boat to leave, but luckily we managed to get the comfy seats at the front, rather than the wooden ones or the floor! Sat with 10 others that had all met on their minibus from Chiang Mai - really nice bunch - made the 6 hour journey pass a little quicker! Stopped halfway at a tiny village for the night - I raced off to find a room while Terry got the bags. Ended up at the same place as some of the group from the boat, so we met up with them all for dinner and then had an early night as the electricity went off at 9pm! 1st May 2006 The 12 of us got up early in order to secure the good seats on the boatm but when we got there (Terry & I the first) we were on a different boat with only wooden seats! Great - should have stayed in bed! Boat didn't leave till almost 9.30am, by which time we already had had numb bums! Seven hours later and after many games of Connect 4, crosswords and general chit chat with the increasing group, we arrived in Louang Phrabang, a very beautiful city. Found a place to stay with Tracey and Nardus and then met up with the others later on for dinner - about 20 of us in total!! Had a really good night which ended at midnight as everything shuts then. 2nd May 2006 After a lie-in we went for a wander and discovered some great arts and crafts shops - spent quite a bit, without thinking about carrying it all! Kept bumping into members of the group an dmet up with them all later on for dinner - bangers and mash, absolutely delicious!! Then we went to the funky Hive Bar for a few drinks until midnight! 3rd May 2006 Still all together (with a few extras) we managed to arrange to meet at 10am and then all clambered into two tuktuks and were taken to see the most beautiful waterfall (Kwang XI). Nearly everyone went for a dip, but I didn't have a bikini on so sat and watched with a couple of the others. When we got back we had another look at the street stalls and bought more souvenirs, then had a cheap dinner at the night market. Met some of the others to watch a DVD - Syriana - bar far the worst film we've ever seen!! 4th May 2006 Sadly left Louang Phrabang - could have stayed a lot longer, but would have spent far too much at the markets! Caught a bus to Vang Vieng with Carla & Cliff - the others were on two other buses. Windy journey round the hills, with the aircon on and off, but gorgeous countryside - spent most of the journey hanging out the window with the camera! From the bus stop we were taken to a guesthouse which was $4 a room, but Carla & I decided to have a look to see if we could get something a little cheaper, but we ended up returning to find the boys had beer, so joined them for a few drinks and decided to stay put! The guy that had brought us to the guesthouse gave us free Lao Lao mix (whisky, coke, ice, lime....) which went down quite well! Eventually managed to make it upstairs to the rooms, changed and went out for dinner - found the others and all went for pie and mash (chicken and mushroom or steak and ale) and a few more beers. Things stay open longer here, not sure what the time was but I gave up and left the final three (Terry, Cliff and Nardus) to it. When they eventually left, quite a few hours after me, they couldn't find the guesthouse again, so the 2 minute walk took them an hour!!! I was soundo and didn't have a clue! 5th May 2006 All met for breakfast and then went to do the most popular activity in town - tubing down the river! An excellant day, stopping off at the many bars along the way and using the rope swings and zip wires!! Finished in the dark - all split up into 3 groups - Terry, Cliff and Paul were last with no money, but luckily they got out at the right spot and could walk back to the guesthouse! Met up again for dinner, drinks, Rachel's last night and to discuss the day! 6th May 2006 Some of the boys went tubing again, but we and Carla, Cliff, Holly and Tracey decided to chill and watch a DVD. The day flew by, after the DVD we intended to sunbathe on the roof of the others guesthouse (Babylon), but we got up there just as the sun set!! Met up again for dinner - wow - roast pork, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, green beans, carrots, and cabbage & bacon, gravy - the food in Laos is amazing!! Back to Babylon to watch a DVD and then bed! 7th May 2006 Another action packed day for the gang! We hired mopeds and drove to Poukham Cave, having to cross rickety bridges. Did a tour of the cave which was high up the side of a cliff and then cooled off with a dip in the lagoon at the bottom. Went back to town for lunch and then raced off the other side of town and back! Few more drinks in the evening, but Terry & I only stayed a while and had an early night! 8th May 2006 Tubing again!! Much more chilled out, only stopped for a couple of jumps and swings and so spent most of the day hooked onto each others tubes, floating slowly down the river. Managed to get back before dark this time and nobody got bruises from hitting the water (the first day, Holly and Carla landed awkwardly in the water and got terrific bruises - or should that be horrific). Went for an Indian curry that night and witnessed the most torrential rain ever. The rain started hammering down and then the wind picked up. Rain was pouring off the roof and running into the restaurant, past the first three sets of tables, whose table cloths had to be removed before the wind took them! The water got closer and closer |